A family friend recently lost his position through a layoff after never having taken a sick day in 30+ years with his company. As disheartening as it is to continue to hear these stories a year after it felt like things were really turning around, what he said he plans to do for the next six months was not just astounding…it was downright horrifying. Avid sportsman that he is, he is seriously considering spending this winter in his hunting cabin instead of looking for a new position. While he deserves a little rest and relaxation as much as anyone does, I can’t emphasize enough what a huge risk he would be taking by putting off his job search.
I don’t mean to sound glum. Healthcare IT is booming, but that success is not spread equally across the market and there are other industries still lagging behind. And while things are definitely better than they were 12 or 18 months ago, employment gaps are still a problem for most hiring managers. Think about it: given two people with nearly equal qualifications, are you more likely to hire the person who is currently employed or the person who got laid off 9 months ago, took 6 months to travel or play golf, completely disconnected from the working world and now finds him/herself desperate to find a new position (any position) to pay the bills?
Which candidate would you invest in—the one who is looking to build on his/her career or the one with nothing left to lose?
Still don’t believe me? Think about this…
People are finding themselves out of work for much longer periods than they used to; they have to be more proactive, get creative, in order to even get a phone interview.
And after 6 months, you can forget working with a recruiter; some clients categorically refuse to consider candidates who are out of work, others simply refuse to pay for ones who have been out of work for “too long.”
You’re at an even greater disadvantage if, like this guy, you’ve been with the same company since the Carter Administration. You will face unique, and most likely significant, challenges as you embark on your job search…and many of them will come in the form of younger, cheaper, and often more educated jobseekers.
But don’t lose hope—there are still plenty of jobs out there, the difficulty these days is standing out from the crowd, so do something (professional) to get noticed. Need an example? Check out Matthew Epstein's website, googlepleasehire.me; one young marketer’s anything but conventional approach to getting noticed by one of the most sought after employers in America.
Maybe a tongue-in-cheek short film/video resume isn’t your style. Here are some other recommendations:
- start early—don’t wait until your savings run out to start your search
- be creative
- keep a positive attitude
- pick up the phone
- network, network, and network some more
- and, of course, call your recruiter the moment you get the news
written by Kate Harlow, Strategic Sourcing Manager @ TMG
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